Most Valuable Player Award

From BR Bullpen

The Most Valuable Player Award (or MVP) in Major League Baseball is given to a player in each league who has contributed the most to the success of the player's team. It is awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America. There have been three interations of MLB MVP awards. The first two were awarded in the 1910s and 1920s, however the award did not become an annual one until 1931.

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The Chalmers Automobile Company sponsored the first Most Valuable Player Award, the Chalmers Award award in 1911. The creation of this award was due to the controversy in the American League from the previous year in which the company gave an automobile in to the batting champion in each league. It was the first attempt to recognize a player for overall contributions to his team's success — hence the designation "Most Valuable" rather than "player of the year."

In the 1920s the leagues awarded MVPs, called the League Award. However only one player per team was listed on the ballot causing there being no National League MVP in 1922 or 1923. The American League also allowed players to win the award only once. This caused Babe Ruth to be ineligible for the award in historic 1927 season.

After the Cy Young Award was created in 1956 to be given to the best pitcher in Major League Baseball. After that, the belief arose that the Most Valuable Player should be awarded to a position player since pitchers had their own award. In the 49 years since 1956, eight pitchers have won the award; in the 26 years prior pitchers won 12 of the awards.

The award is voted on by 28 members of the BBWAA (one from each Major League city) and uses a weighted score system. Each ranks their top ten players in each league with points awarded from on a 14-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. The players with the highest point total in each league wins the award.